Stepping In (reloaded)
by Bronytymes
Summary: Ace will start an adventure of a lifetime. No clop.
1. Chapter 1

_**CHAPTER 1**_

 _Silence_

Silence filled the air like an explosion. So much noise had filled the air but it was all gone now. Silence echo'd through the halls that were no more. Buildings everywhere had fallen to decay years ago. Green overturf has grown over almost everything  
/in sight,as a lone human male walks down the street quietly. Attached to his back is one backpack, and in his left hand he carries a black guitar case with several stickers on it.

On rooftops and hiding in piles of building rubble creatures scurried about and muddled around looking for smaller creatures to eat. The world quickly turned into a savage place after the apocalypse. Billions of people gone. Just vanished, like they were  
/neverthere in the first place and this whole world was left just for this lone man. What was he to do but keep searching, looking everywhere his feet could carry him. With machinery and electronics having long been worn with time and disabled.

The lone man searched far and wide for 15 years before coming upon his final destination he could think of. The pentagon. He had tried to get in when he first started his journey to find people but it still had working electronics and without access to  
/anykind of access code or key he had no way of entering. He was hopeful thattime had decayed the building enough to enter it and for it to be his final resting place.

Coming upon the building that had once been the most secure areas inthe world. Seeing it had practaclycollapsed, the man walked up to a random door and pushed gently. It almost crumbled to dust at his fingertips. Had it been longer than 15years?  
/The man pondered over this thought as he searched the inside of the once great building.

The decay was much worse inside, the ceilings hadlong since collapsed and large areas were lit with natural light. Vines the size of street lamps grew along the two extending adjacent walls. He ventured further into the building and came upon a  
/hole in the ground. No bigger than 4 feet in diameter, he pondered if he could climb down. Looking down the hole he saw an underground lake. With no hesitation he jumped down the hole instead. He fell 15 feet into a 10 foot deep pool of water.

The water was unnaturally clear and clean, with this much debree around the water should be much dirtier but it wasn't. It was crystal clear. Realizing he still had his backpack and guitar on him he panicked and immediately surfaced and brought his wet  
/belongings to the shore. Without looking around he started opening his belongings and checking to see how wet they got. The guitar was actually just a little wet but his backpacks contents were completely soaked. 3 pairs of shirts, 3 pairs of pants,  
/5pairs of socks and 4 pairs of underware were waterlogged.

The man sighed and laid out the clothes to dry on a nearby rock then stripping naked and putting his recently worn clothes on the rock next to the others. Finally he turns around and assess the area.

Jaw dropping in wonder, the man saw a large machine of some sort, it had large tubes 6 feet wide in a giant infinity symbol shape and a stage of some sort above it but not connected too it. It just floated there in the air, without cables or touching  
/anysolid surface.

How could such technology exist after such a long time? There has to be an explanation. But the man had no answers, only questions that no human would everhear again.

Stepping carefully, he placed one foot on a nearby ladder totest its sturdiness. Surprisingly it held and seemed to be in good condition. He moved it carefully still to the machine and climbed to the top of the machine. What could it have been?  
/What had it once been? Questions filled his mind as he finally stepped onto the platform.

Lightly the platform glowed a gentle blue. And a small humcouldbe heard as the machine had started turning on. He quickly jumped off the platform and almost hurt himself as he landed and the platform stopped glowing and the hum quietly  
faded.

"It must be turned on by weight. How odd... What kind of machine could it possibly be?" He pondered out loud. His voice echoing softly and hearing his own voice made him miss people again. His heart ached as he walked over to his drying clothes and  
/picked up a pair of wet underware. He gently tossed it on the platform and the machine whirred and glowed softly. Eventually after a minute of it seeming warming up it just stopped. He was confused maybe he had broken the machine.

He ascended the ladder againand looked on the platform. Curiously the underware was gone? Maybe it fell off the side, he jumped down and looked around the machine. But nothing was found. Maybe this was some sort of teleporting machine. But how could  
/that have existed. He would have to try the machine again when his stuff had dried.

For now he made himself a makeshift bed after his clothes had dried and ate expired canned food and some fresh apples and berries he had collected on his journey.

Tomorrow he would do the only thing he could do. Try out the teleport himself. Maybe he would go where everyone else had disappeared too. Maybe he wouldn't be left behind anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

The morning light had not awoke the man this day. The night was long and he didn't sleep well. Sitting up his body was dry and his clothes were just a tad damp. Putting them on andgathered his belongings. He set them near a ladder and thought about  
/what he had to do. Should he just use the teleportation devicenow? Or should he search for more people first. He didn't know what to do.

Weighing each option he decided he had looked long enough. He took a small mirror from his bag and got out his razor. His beard had grown quite large but he thought he should look presentable for whatever may be on the other side. He quickly shaved and  
/managed to only nick himself twice with the somewhat dull razor.

For the first time he noticed just how long his hair was. He hadn't cut it for years now. He soon gave up after a few years of keeping himself groomed. Pulling his hairback and putting it in a ponytail he readied himself for the moment of truth.

He first grabbed a few rocks and set them up on the platform. Slowly the whirring sound had begun. No bright lights no flashes happened and he wondered if the whole thing was broken. He got up on the ladder and looked for the rocks. They weren't there.  
/The machine seemed to work but who knows where it went or if it made it there in one piece. He sighed and was slightly disappointed. He wished the machine didn't work and he could leave this creepy place.

He finally built up his courage and climbed the ladder his belongingsheld tightly. Taking a deep breath he stepped onto the platform and made his way to the center of it. The whirring creeping it's way into his ear.

Just as he started to feel a gentle pulling in his chest he heard something he thought he'd never hear again. As clear as day, he heard a jet starting to pass over. He quickly ran for the end of the platform. But it was too late. The pulling had become  
/more intense by the second and by the time he reached the end of the platform he was nowhere.

Literally nowhere. He couldn't comprehend what was happening. Blue, purple, pink, and green tints flew by his vision and repeated itself seemingly forever. He screamed and flung his arms, or at least he thought he did. And after about 10 seconds of seeing  
/those colors they faded instantly and he stood in a green field.

He tried to look around but it seems like all the blood rushed to his head and he suddenly felt light headed. Grabbing for his head he fell and in a matter of seconds he was out.

* * *

Today is a special day for princess Celestia. Today is her 2020th birthday. And it so happens that her birthday is also on the 20th of this month. September. It's a beautiful time of year, in fact one of her favorite times of year, when the leaves  
/have almost all fallen and the hills glow a bright orange from the setting sun.

All was well until she felt it. Something she hadn't felt for almost 2000 years. She was still a young filly when she felt it last. A particular kind of magic. One that she feared would come again. Bringing monstrosities into the peaceful land of ponies.  
/Her father had warned her when she was young that this could happen again.

The last time those Humans had entered this world they brought with them a host of deadly diseases and weapons that her world was just not ready to fight. But unknown to the inhabitants of the kingdom she had fed them all anti-bodies a long time ago and  
/their children should be able to fend off any disease that they had brought this time around and she already had a battle plan ready for the next invader.

"Guard!" Celestia yelled from her sitting room.

The door opened quickly and two guards had rushed in. One had dark brown fur with a matching mane and one was regal white with a dark blue and bright blue mane. "Yes my princess?" The white stallion questioned.

"Prepare for battle plan H2. We will leave as soon as you're ready. This is not a drill." She said sternly while focusing on the horizon.

"Battle plan H2? A-are you sure your highness?" He stammered and starting to lose his composure.

"Quite sure shining armor. Make haste this is not a drill, do not make me repeat myself again." She exclaimed.

"Of course your highness, come viktor there is much to do and little time." The stallion called shining armor said as he saluted and turned from his princess. The dark stallion named viktor saluted and turned after his superior and followed him out.

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The light had barely started to return to the mans eyes as he started groaning. His whole body was sore, like he slept for 5 years on a plank of wood. That's not far from the truth but he managed to sit up.

Coughing slightly he forced his eyes open and took in his surroundings. The field in which he landed as turning a beautiful orange. The leaves had almost all fallen to the ground and were in big piles. He must be in a park somewhere. But leaves don't  
/pile up like that by themselves so someone, or, something must have put them in piles. Feeling a bit of excitement but more fear than not, he looked for anybody, animal, or thingout of place.

Nothing

He was still alone. Is it just cruel fate or was it luck that he was alive. He presumed he was still on earth, considering that he couldn't tell by looking that anything had changed. But it wasn't autumn when he left. It was spring. Had he moved foreword  
/in time as well as location on the earth? Exactly how much time had passed. He knew nothing and just accepted his fate. As he had accepted it a long time ago that he would be alone.

Finally gathering enough energy to stand he did so and decided he would take a look around at his new surroundings. Walking to the top of the hill he looked onwards. In the distance he could see a small lake and a single house by it. It must have  
been

a cottage before the end of the world. Wondering if he could salvage anything from it he started walking.

The journey took much longer than expected. Almost 2 hours! How the hell could he see that far and so clearly? Maybe the machine had just messed his mind up that's all. He hadn't worn glasses since his broke and he never found a prescription that  
was

close enough to his and weren't broken. He spent years looking and now he felt like he could see perfectly.

There was something else off too. Once he got too the cabin he started to massage his left leg. Then he felt something he thought he'd never feel again.

Pain.

Not just any pain. Pain in his right leg. He pulled up his pants and starred blankly at his right leg. There. In all its leggy goodness. It was there again. A REAL leg. He had lost it years and years ago, way before the end.

He wept tears of joy. His prosthetic leg had always been pretty good, it moved well and most people could never tell but there it was. He cried for almost an hour then took out his guitar and started to gently strum chords.

When he got into the melody he began to sing softly.

"Carry on my wayward sooooonn...

They'll be peace when you are done...

Lay your weary head too rest.

Don't you cry no more."

He gently strummed out the melody then finished it before the real song began. He always loved the beginning of the song more than any other part. And that's all he needed. He put his guitar away and ascended the stairs too the cottage when he heard  
that

same sound he did before he was taken here.

The sound of a jet.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

 _Sit with me, talk with me._

A jet? He has to still be on earth. The man looked to the sky and searched it. He could not see any planes or anything in the sky. He searched harder and farther, as far as his eyes would let him. And on the horizon he saw it.

This was truly unbelievable. It was a blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane, leaving a rainbow train in a big arc over a cloud. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. It was still there the rainbow trail stayed there for about 20 seconds before fading away.  
/The Pegasus had went and landed on the cloud and he realized it was a stadium filled with pegasi.

The man contemplated where he had truly ended up. Could this still be earth?

* * *

Shining armor had gathered 200 guards and another 700 would be armed and ready to follow in 2 hours as back up. He had viktor hold the group ready to move as he went to get the princess.

Celestia was now sitting in her throne room with another pony. She had a dark blue coat and and darker blue mane that seemed to move on its own. Sparkling lightly to look like the night sky. Celestia heard hoofsteps approaching and looked to the door  
/as the other pony stopped talking.

A gentle knocking on the door was heard. "Come in shining armor." Princess Celestia said as she rose to a standing position. The door opened in a rush and shining hastily made his was to the throne a bowed.

"Rise shining, are the preparations complete?" Celestia said while starting to move down the steps that ascended to her throne.

"Yes your highness, our first wave is ready and waiting to move out, a few scouts have already left to search the area in the plan. If you don't mind me asking, what are we going to be fighting? I know the plan but I don't know the enemy." Shining asked.

"An enemy that is very smart and resourceful. They have proven to be cunning and manipulative. We cannot afford to make any mistakes. The last time they attacked they came in the hundreds. We thought they came in peace but in fact they ended up bringing  
/nothing but suffering."

"But your highness, what beast are we fighting here?" Shining asked in a worried tone.

Celestia only said one word and it just confused shining even more.

"Humans."

* * *

The man had decided he would set out for the cloud and its inhabitants in the morning, tonight he was too tired. The moon had started to rise and the sun had set. Even though the night was dark, it was clear. He could still see just as far in the dark  
/and he wondered just exactly how he this world worked in comparison to his own.

Maybe he had finally gone mad and he is imagining everything. He hadn't accepted the possibility that what he saw was real. He literally couldn't believe his eyes. The machine either killed him, made him mad, or brought him to another world. He chose  
/the option he was mad for now and checked to see if the cabin door would open. It didn't and there didn't seem to even be a keyhole for locking. He wondered if it was a one way lock from the inside. What an odd way to lock your cabin, so someone  
must

/be on the inside right?

The man knocked on the door and waited patiently for an answer. None came. After a few minutes of knocking he decided to check all the windows. All of them were locked the same way. From the inside.

The back of the cabin had no entrance or Windows so he doubled around and walked up the steps once again and decided he would set up his makeshift tent on the porch and wait for morning.

* * *

The squadron of guards flew fast with Celestia and the blue pony leading the flight. All of the guards that couldn't fly were being hauled along in chariots by other pegasi.

"Sister, are you sure you are ready for battle?" The blue pony asked quietly. "Yes Luna. I'm ready." Celestia said sternly and flew a bit faster rushing toward the place where the scout had spotted the only creature out of place. A shaved ape sleeping  
/in a makeshift tent at anold abandoned cabin.

They were minutes away now. quickly approaching the human. Celestia was nervous on the inside but ready. She knew exactly how to deal with this human. If they did not tell her where the other humans were she would use the forbidden magic that she outlawed  
/after she created it.

* * *

The man was sleeping lightly. The cold of the night making it hard to stay asleep. He woke up every hour for a few minutes like every night since the end. He had started to feel the urge of nature calling a while ago but he had ignored it and now

it was back with a vengeance. He got up and slowly made his way to a tree line and started to do his business. Grabbing a few of the orange leaves he cleaned himself and buried his mess and pulled out some hand sanitizer he had in his pocket. One

/thing he never stopped collecting in his world was hand sanitizer. After plumbing stopped working he had to wash his hands somehow. Improvising baths was hard enough and finding streams clean enough to bathe in was tough. Though he did have several  
/canteens full of water and filters for dirty water, he didn't want to waste those on bathing water.

All in all thinking about what he has had to do it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Walking up the steps and sitting down near his tent readying himself for more restless sleep he felt something in his gut. An urge to run away. What an odd feeling to have again.

Turning around and looking for the source of this feeling he saw them in the night sky.

Hundreds of pegasi and two really large ones leading them were coming straight for him. They were maybe a minute away. Hoping to keep things peaceful between these new ponies he quickly opened his guitar case and pulled out his old friend. Opening the  
/compartment for holding capo's, strings, and picks he saw his favorite pick and also his small pistol he kept for safety. He grabbed it and put it in the back of his pants and covered it with his sweater.

He sat down and started playing a song that he thought fitting.

A few notes were played as an intro, and even though they probably he couldn't hear him he started singing.

"TheSummer has come and passed

The innocent can never last

Wake me up when September ends"

The ponies were within earshot now and could probably hear something but not much.

"Like my father's come to pass

Seven years has gone so fast

Wake me up when September ends"

They could definitely hear him now and slowed their decent and were silent.

"Here comes the rain again

Falling from the stars

Drenched in my pain again

Becoming who we are

As my memory rests

But never forgets what I lost

Wake me up when September ends"

A pony in white stepped foreword and sat patiently listening to his song.

"Summer has come and passed

The innocent can never last

Wake me up when September ends

Ring out the bells again

Like we did when spring began

Wake me up when September ends

Here comes the rain again

Falling from the starsDrenched in my pain againBecoming who we are

As my memory restsBut never forgets what I lost Wakeme up when September ends

Summer has come and passed

The innocent can never last

Wake me up when September ends

Like my father's come to pass

Twenty years has gone so fast

Wake me up when September ends

Wake me up when September ends

Wake me up when September ends"

As the last chord is held the pony rises. It is huge at lease 7 feet tall compared to his 6 ft 1. The man decides that he should speak first.

"Hel-" his mouth goes slack as he feels a sharp pain in his throat.

"Do not speak yet human. First things first I need to know something." The pony said, her voice was regal and strong but also motherly. Her mane had been gently flowing in the wind and he recognized the colors from when he came to this world, pink, green,  
/blue, and purple.

The man felt odd for a second but shook off the feeling. But what threw him off was the glowing of the ponies horn, it glowed a brilliant gold for just a few seconds.

The white pony then nodded and said, "speak now human"

"Hello, my name is Ace, and I'm from earth. I come in peace and wish no harm to anyone. My whole race has gone extinct and I'm the last one. No others as far as I can tell. I've been looking for so long I've lost track. I haven't conversed with another  
/living being that could talk back in a long time, and I thought I'd say hello with a song."

"Brave words for one such as yourself, humans are not trusted here. If you value your life you will submit to a memory share." The white pony said sternly, her motherly tone gone from her voice.

"Um... I don't really know what a memory share is, but if it will make you trust me I'll consider it, also I'd really like to at least know the names of my first friends in this new world." Acesaid after a brief pause.

"A memory share is a spellthat can only be cast on an individualwillingly with consent. It will allow us to see your memories but only what you chooseto show and you will not be able to lie or alter your memory." The white pony said ignoring his asking  
/of her name.

All of the guards behind Celestia were silent as they watched their leader talk with the enemy. The plan said that the enemy they would face would be cunning and smart but the human they met seemed nice enough and seemed pretty normal, not at all like  
/an evil genius.

"I see. These aren't negotiations theirs terms for surviving this night aren't they." Ace said after a small sigh and a shake of his head. "Very well, do whatever spell you must, I do not wish to die this night."

The mans words hung in the air with silence and the spell began and a screen projected itself from his mind, blank at first but memories of growing up soon started playing on the screen.

"Good now why are you here?" The white pony asked and immediately the screen changed to his wanderingsof the wasteland that he traversed in search for other people and his findings at the pentagon, the machine and his travel here stopping on when he arrived  
/at the cabin.

"So that's how you came here, what happened to your race?" The screen stayed blank. No memories played.

"If it's all the same to you I would not like to show you the devastation that happened and the aweful war. It's bloody and dark and I don't want to remember those times." Ace said with a frown.

"Fine, but you will tell me eventually." The memory spell was dispelled and the screen disappeared. "My name is Celestia, and this-" the dark blue pony standing at the same height as ace stepped forward and nodded "is my sister Luna, were the princess'  
/of this land called equestria. You will have to go through the immigration process and will eventually be granted citizenship if you are found to be an acceptable member of society. If not you will have to leave the boarders of equestria and wonder  
/the Wild of our world. But first you will be processed by me personally to make sure you are not a threat. Do you have any weapons on you." The princess asked.

Ace thought very carefully about his answer and decided he would tell her about his gun. "I do. A small pistol that I keep on me for self defense it's a powerful weapon and can be very deadly. If you want to confiscate it for now I will give it up." He  
/said standing and putting away his guitar.

"Yes hand it over and we will take care of it and return it when the time is right." The princess said turning while a pony with a white coat and two different blue's for his mane stepped forward.

Ace pulled out the pistol hekept behind him and handed it over. After the was escorted to a chariot and they soon took off into the night.

Ace's mind was in a buzz right now, not knowing if this was real or a dream. Or if he had in fact just gone completely mad. But he knew one thing. At least he wasn't alone anymore. Even if they were ponies he would rather live with them than alone and  
/he intended to make the most of his situation and try and get on the princess' good sides. As crazy as it sounds he was happy. Even though they were extremely distrustful of him and knew what humans were. That's what mad him nervous the most. Humans  
/had a bad reputation and that's no surprise. Humans were their own downfall. Egotisticsland prideful. But some can be humble and forgiving and if he can show them that he can be a good member of their society he just might be able to stay with  
people

again. Well as close to people as fate would let him get.


	4. Chapter 4

**Update: I know sometimes there are mistakes but I'm currently writing this on my iPhone so please forgive me for any annoying spacing or misspellings. Thanks in advance. Keep with the tymes. -Bronytymes~**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 4**_

 _Sleep is for the week._

Ace was standing in the back of a flying carriage, he couldn't believe it. Flying without a plane or motor of any kind. It was thrilling to feel the wind in his hair. The guards were nice enough to let him keep his belongings except for the strings in  
/his guitar case, because they could be used as a weapon.

He had clean(ish) clothes and would soon be staying at a castle he was pretty excited to be the guest of royalty. But he knew that he wasn't very welcome. He could tell by the way all the guards stayed stone faced around the princess' and always kept  
/somewhat close to them.

* * *

The night air was cold and Celestia was pretty upset with the way things went. This human. She could sense how broken he was on the inside. Being alone for an extended period of time can have serious affects on mental health and her sisters story was  
/proof of that. Now she was alone for a short time compared to their eternal life but humans only live about 80-100 years and he looked to be in his early 30s. So many years alone would have seriously damaged his psyche no matter how good he was at  
/hiding it.

Still something about him puzzled her. How he was able to survive however long his time was without anyone to talk to. He must have gotten used to talking to himself or objects instead of humans and he still seems perfectly normal. Something inside him  
/was abnormally strong.

She would have to test how far he could be pushed with annoyances before he snapped. Having ponies around but none of them talking to him should push him even harder than being alone. Being ignored and maybe even abused in the cell should be a good way  
/to find out exactly what kind of man he was.

It's an unfair test of course and cruel. One that she didn't like having to do but it must be done. The humans before hand took advantage of the ponies kind nature and she wasn't about to let on loose on her kingdom without knowing him inside and out.

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Luna on the other hand saw this man as an opportunity. A way to see exactly how alike ponies are to humans. If they can learn anything about the world around them and see their technology. He must know something that they could use to better the lives  
/of the ponies in their kingdom. They already use so many things that the humans invented. Doors with handles, a lot of tools used are based on human design, hell even light bulbs and electricity was something that they built upon humans designs.  
It

was clear everywhere in their land that humans could live comfortably there.

She thought to herself about all the wonders that they might be able to create with his knowledge.

* * *

Shining armor was begrudgingly silent. He wanted to know about the human and his music. He never was one for playing any instruments or even singing, though he participated in a few of the worlds magical singing outbursts. He had such an urge to play  
/something, anything while Ace performed for them as a hello. He like the guy already but he also knew that humans were feared even by the princess'. So they had to be dangerous.

Right?

* * *

They finally arrived at the castle and descended slowly. Ace was stared upon by quite a large gathering of ponies. There had to be at least 2 or even 3 thousand ponies all making a racket and talking about the human. Some scoffed and laughed at him.  
/He was tall but he was skinny, not very terrifying, he didn't even have that sharp of teeth. He just looked like a tall shaved tailless monkey. Others were terrified of his shady look and dark clothes. He wore black pants and a dark grey sweater.  
/He also had long black hair and brown eyes.

Ace smiled his biggest smile and waved. Some ponies waved back and some threw rocks, and called him names. Yet still someof the ponies didn't reply and waited for the princess to talk.

* * *

Celestia was confused on how word got out of the human then remembered that she had sent a letter to her faithful student twilight sparkle. Her and her friends must have come quickly and pinkie pie probably spilled the beans about he human. That mare  
/doesn't know when to keep things quiet. Seeing the six elements coming to the castle probably didn't help much either.

Such is life for Celestia though. She has long since come to terms with the kinds of life she lives and approached the crowd.

Using her royal canter lot voice she addressed the public. "Citizens of Canterlot and Equestria. The rumorsare true we do have a human in our midst. Now let me tell you that right now he is not to be visited by anyone until he has gone through the  
/immigration process and a personal evaluation by myself before he is let into the public. And once he is you are to treat him like any other pony. He will have the same rights as you if he chooses to stay here. Now please calm yourselves, there  
is

no threat and he will be introduced into the public soon. If you have any questions please see either me or my sister Luna during our hearing times. Thank you."

Celestia heard more murmuring of unease and some of excitement about their possible new citizen. Celestia knew that she wouldn't have him in the public for quite a while and that eventually the worry would die down. Hopefully Luna isn't too upset  
that

she will probably get a bunch of questions tonight about the human. Celestia will have to pull an all nighter just to help with all the paperwork and extra questions. But that will be fine she has been doing this a long time.

* * *

Ace was dreading the citizen test and the psychological evaluation. He knew he wouldn't do well but he made up his mind already to prove to not only himself but to all the ponies that he was good enough to be part of their nation.

He wouldn't lose hope now. He had spent years alone and was done with that now. He wouldn't let this opportunity slip through his fingers. He knew that Celestia would probably be pretty harsh with her test. Push him as far as she could and try to  
break

him. To see if he can handle being stared at, hated for being different, ignored, beaten. Any and all of those things could happen. But it was a small price to pay for friends. Friends that he needed more than ever. He always had one thing though.  
/Music. He dealt with being alone by learning every song he could remember from being without an iPod. He still had his old one in his guitar case but it died long ago and there was no way he could charge it. But now with them he might be able  
to fashion

some kind of charger. Hopefully without breaking it.

While he was lost in his thoughts he didn't realize where they were taking him. Before he could even figure out what the castle looked like he had found himself in a dungeon. Alone. With the door locked. Even his guitar was gone.

He had his backpack but all it held was his clothes and hand sanitizer. Great. How long would he be alone. No one even told him anything. Or if they did he didn't remember. He gets so lost in himself that he forgets where he is or what he's doing.  
Sometimes

for days. When he was alone sometimes he'd lose himself for days or even weeks without speaking and just thinking. It's all he could do.

The room was tiny, barely 10 feet wide. There was two mattresses on the floor lined up just long enough for him to fit and a single toilet and sink for washing his hands. There was no bars just bare concrete walls and on window 15 feet up that let  
in

the moonlight and the door was made of solid metal. No knobs on his side so he was locked in. Great solitary confinement right off the bat? And he didn't even get to talk to Celestia again.

He pondered how long he'd be in there and started to sing to himself.

* * *

Celestia sighed and poured herself another cup of coffee. It'd been 4 hours since she returned and the elements had already come and talked to her about the human. Fluttershy, the element of kindness disagreed and even tried to argue with the princess  
/about the humans living arrangements and called them atrocious. She took that especially hard. Fluttershy had not seen the damage humans could do and knew nothing of their true nature.

Celestia knew the lesson of not judging books by their covers and the importance not jumping to conclusions. But this had to be different. Humans were not like ponies. Even the human understood and didn't seem to mind his cell all that much. Guards  
reporting

him singing right after they dropped him off and took his musical instrument.

He would have a room in the castle in a weeks time if he played his cards right and did as he was told and learned that this world does not owe him anything. This world is one free of the same hardships humans had. There had only been one war and  
for

the most part all ponies treated each other very well. It was humans that caused the first war to begin with. Their ideologies had rocked the world when they came the first time. It took Celestia a century to destroy the religions they had brought.

God, Vishnu, Alah. They taught love and peace but brought suffering. What a man made concept indeed. Preaching one thing and doing the other. Do as I say not as I do. What a bad example to believe in.

Celestia was catching up on mindless paperwork and thinking heavily on her new prisoner when a knock surprised her. She didn't know who it could be, the elements and her captain of the guard had retired for the evening and Luna was probably dealing  
with

ponies inquiring about he human.

"Come in." She said loud enough for the pony knocking to enter.

It was fluttershy. She looked exhausted and walked up to her and bowed.

"What brings you here this early morning dear fluttershy."

"Princess, if it's not too much to ask... I'd like to maybe... If it's not too much trouble that is... To stay with the human while he is alone. In that cell. I just can't stand the thought of someone innocent being alone for so long after what he  
went

through. And to make him be alone even longer. It's just not right your highness." Fluttershy said bashfuly.

Fluttershy's kindness was truly limitless. To want to help somepony, a human at that, in a hard time that was justifiable in Celestia's case, was truly touching. She even almost said yes. Almost.

"I'm sorry dear fluttershy but my mind is made up for now. He must be able to stay strong here and if he breaks down and hurts somepony it will be on my kind is very dangerous and even one of them can prove.. Difficult to deal with.  
He has

to be strong for us. If he is worthy then he shouldn't have a problem. Besides, he was reportedly singing to himself while in the cell so it seems he isn't too upset." Celestia's said delicately. She truly felt for the mare, her heart always reaching  
/out for anyone in need. She truly was the element of kindness. But Celestia knew that already and smiled gently and stroked her mane.

"It's ok my little pony, he will do fine. He is really very strong. I can sense it in him. From the moment I laid eyes on him." She said as she put her speed reading glasses back on.

"If you're really sure. I'm sorry for bothering you princess, I know you have a lot of work to do. Please get some rest at some point tonight. You look tired." Fluttershy said as she slowly walked back to the door.

"I will be fine fluttershy, thank you for stopping by. I'm always willing to hear you out." Celestia replied.

Fluttershy left the room and it was silent once more. As soon as fluttershy left she heard another knocking on the door.

Who else could it be this late? Did fluttershy forget something? Or was it another element.

"Come in." Celestia said with a bit of a sigh. She still had a lot of paperwork to cover for Luna.

As the door opened it was the last pony she thought she'd see tonight. It was viktor.

* * *

Fluttershy slowly made her way back to her room. Ace... That was his name. She couldn't help but feel for him before she even met him. No one knew this but her first and only coltfriends name was Ace. He was a Pegasus painter. Not many of those but  
/his brush could work wonders. In the little town south of ponyville is where they met. She lived there before she moved to ponyville. She was only 16 and had her own apartment, living freely and taking care of animals for money. She pet sat for  
everyone

in town while they worked and she was so happy there.

Ace was a local painter, he had dreams of becoming the archetype of his time. Being the cornerstone of a new age of art. His style choices hadn't been done before and his take on depth and realism was known through out the small town and neighboring  
villages.

They would come from four maybe even five towns away just to buy his paintings. But it didn't start that day. It started the day he watched her flying. His first set of paintings were of her flying into the sunset. She absolutely loved them.

"Ouch!" Exclaimed fluttershy as she walked into a wall, she wasn't looking where she was going, lost in thoughts about her first love. "Are you ok?" Said a voice she didn't recognize.

When she turned around she blushes lightly and said " yes I'm fine sorry about that." The dark chestnut pony smiled at her. She blushed very hard at the sight of him. He was quite handsome and she embarrassed herself in front of this stranger.

"Are you sure? You look a little red? Should I walk you back to your room miss fluttershy?" The pony said. "Um that's ok, and how did you know my name?" She asked confused.

"You're quite famous now after the discord and nightmare moon incidents. And again sorry toask but your room is the other way entirely may I walk you there?" He said while smiling at her.

She was practacly as red as a tomato as she nodded and followed him towards her room.

* * *

Twilight sparkle has always been a bright pony. She knew all her maths, geography, history, literature, spells, and even dabbled in art. Though nothing ever really good besides singing. She had slept through the night tossing and turning, worried  
/about the human that was in captivity. Celestia feared what he could do so she did as well. She had read a few books mentioning humans and even saw diagrams but she never saw one in person. They had gone extinct in Equestria quite a while back.

All the books on humans were either vague about them or called them monsters. They brought destruction and terror to the land as well as rebellious ideals. They were absolutely not to be trusted under any circumstance. But the princess' we're going  
to

let him stay and live here! Sure he couldn't repopulate and his kind was as good as dead but she felt like he should have been released into the Wild of the world and left to pure nature.

But deep inside, where her truest emotions lay, she wondered if he could be different. If humans could be good too, like ponies. Celestia thought so otherwise she wouldn't have let him stay. Or better yet just killed him before he even knew what was  
going

on.

Wow she had never thought of killing something before. Sure she might kill the occasional bee or wasp that entered her home and annoyed her to that point but she lived in a tree so she often just opened a window and used magic to bring it out.

Her morning consisted of showering and picking out a nice hat to wear to brunch with the elements and the princess'. Hopefully Celestia will decide it's not worth the effort for the human and kick him out. She feared what ideals he could be hiding.  
What

horrible crimes he could commit. Worries like this are what starts wars so she kept her mouth shut and remembered the lesson that she learned from young applebloom.

Never judge a book by its cover.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

 _It isn't over till I let go._

Ace hadn't talked to anypony in 3 days now. He sat against the wall on one of his mattress's. Singing softly to himself he thought of Celestia, and Luna. Luna he didn't even have a guess at what she thought. But Celestia. She hated him. At least it felt  
/that way. Humans must have done something bad here. Maybe it would be better if he didn't know. It couldn't have been worse than what they had done to themselves he thought.

"Prisoner Ace. Get ready for visitation. You may not leave your cell. The visitor will enter in two minutes." A voice from seemingly nowhere said. Ace stood up and changed quickly. He hadn't changed clothes since he got there and probably stunk. Thinking  
/quickly he wiped himself down with a little hand sanitizer and dried himself a clean pair of underwear.

There was a knock at the door and he couldn't help but laugh. "Come in." He said while sitting down on his bed.

Celestia walked in with a slightly confused look. "Something humorous human?" She asked with a bit of an edge to her voice. "Yeah you knocked and waited for a response before entering to a jailed man's cell, likeI could stop you from coming in with  
/just a word." Ace had stopped laughing but still wore a playful smirk.

Celestia didn't find it funny. "Just because you're jailed doesn't mean you don't deserve respect." Celestia said.

Ace frowned. "If you respected me at all I wouldn't be in a jail cell for 3 days, without meals, without shower time, and the only water to drink is from the toilet." Ace retorted.

Celestia looked shocked then angry. "No food or drink? That will be changed soon. As for shower time, suck it up until the end of he week. You are a prisoner for a reason may I remind you. Your kind has done almost irreversible damage to our society and  
/I do not wish for it to happen again. If you so much as start a book club I will know about it. You will write me every single day with updates about what you've been up to. You'll have your Equestrian ID before you leave the prison. You will not  
/be

staying here. I simply don't have enough time to deal with you right now. You will be sent to pony-"

"Alright princess hold up. I plan on talking too, first of all I'm genuinely surprised that your guard has gone behind your back to do this to me, first because I thought you hated me and second of all I did not commit the crimes my kind did. I am innocent  
/of all their crimes and if you're going to attach their mistakes to me then I should just go live somewhere else. Third of all I will agree to send you updates but I need to know where I am going and why?" Ace said sternly without breaking the Princess'  
/stare. The last person to interrupt her was her father.

"You've got guts human." Celestia said. "I also have a name and I'm sure you know it." Celestia rolled her eyes and smiled. Then she caught herself and frownedimmediately. "Ace you cannot treat me like that in front of other ponies." Celestia said  
/in a serious tone. "I don't see any other ponies here." He smirked and she laughed.

What was going on with Celestia? she wracked her brain for a few seconds trying to find out exactly why she let him treat her like that. Then she realized that he treated her like a regular pony, not a princess. She hadn't felt like this since the last  
/human she made friends with. Her mood shifted instantly.

"Enough games Ace be serious for a second, you will be going to Ponyville for 4 months for introduction into Equestrian society and to live among my pupil and her friends. You will learn the lessons of friendship and report to me what you learned. I expect  
/just as much from you as I do from twilight." Celestia said her mood shifting back to neutral as she finished.

* * *

Ace learned several things about Celestia inhis second encounter with her. First she was definitely not as up tight as he thought. She seemed to enjoy being treated like an equal rather than a diarch and she has a past with humans that just have

scared her more than he realized at first. She was also wise enough to gauge his personality as soon as he spoke. Which means she was older than she looked. It would be rude to ask a princess her age but he would ask the next time they met.

He was lonely again, maybe another visitor would stop by before long.

* * *

Twilight sparkle heard that the human and Celestia apparently hit it off in his cell. This made her mad, and what made her even more furious was that he was going to be living with her in ponyville. She couldn't believe Celestia was making her teach  
/him lessons on friendship.

* * *

Fluttershy was waiting patiently in Celestia's waiting room. She gently fluttered her legs and wings as she was clearly nervous. But she needed to see the man. He would never be the pony she loved and she knew that. But somewhere deep inside of her  
/soul. She couldn't give up, they won't be the same but if he is close enough, even if he wouldn't have her, she could at least know him again.

* * *

Luna was sitting in the throne room looking clearly bored as she listened to the ponies drone on and keep asking about the human. These ponies would never give up always asking if the man would be released soon. Or if Celestia learned anything scandalous  
/about the human. The answers remainder the same,as they didn't want the public to know he was going to ponyville.

Luna often pondered about the wonders of his world, of the inventions and crazy things they might have made. She could not wait to talk to the human, she would get her chance and she would learn many things, she knew already that she was on the verge  
/of something amazing.

* * *

Shining armor never really used his free time for anything but he couldn't get the humans song out of his head. He had spent his free time hoofing his way through the parts of the song on his mothers old piano and sang quietly to himself, but somepony  
/was listening.

"Shining, you've been at the piano all night are you coming to bed?" He heard a voice ask gently. He felt a familiar hoof on his shoulder, it was Cadence.

"Hey honey, sorry I've been up so late, I'll be in bed soon. I really just want to play lately, I hadn't played since I joined the guard all those years ago. I had forgotten how much I loved playing." He said while he kept playing. He decided he would  
/stay up for a while longer to figure out the rest of that song. He couldn't stop humming the melody to himself.

"It's alright dear, I know how you feel, I haven't written anything in a long time and I might just pick the quill and ink bank up." She said while kissing his cheek. "I'll see you in bed later I'll probably try and write again." She said while walking  
/back towards their room.

* * *

Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie were on their way to Ace's cell as they spoke to each other. "So Twilight, what do you think this human is like? Will he be handsome? Or maybe he will be dark and brooding, or maybe he will b-" "I don't  
/know Rarity, I haven't met him but I do know his kind is dangerous. He hasn't harmed anypony yet but just know that we don't know much about him and we can't let our guard down. Humans are very unpredictable." She replied before Rarity had a chance  
/to

finish her questions.

"I think that he will be amazing and cool! And he will like parties and cake and pudding and chocolate and milkshakesandpeanutbrittleandallsortsofsweetsandwe'llbebestfriendsforever!" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly as they heard her echo in the deepest part  
/of the dungeon.

"D-do humans have any... M-m-ma-magic powers?" Fluttershy stuttered out while her walking slim frame shook slightly. "Nope, according to human biology, which was in a book I found deep in the library last night, humans don't have any innate magical properties.  
/And also humans are pretty ugly. I mean their eyes are way too small and close together. Theirnoses are really weird too, they can't smell as good as us."

* * *

*knock knock*

Ace heard the door knock again. Hopefully it was a meal and some water. "Come in" he said again with a smile on his face. These ponies were like Canadians.

He saw four ponies enter, two with horns, one with wings, and the last had neither. Hewonderedif that has anything to do with class or status. Cause Celestia and Luna had both.

"Ah you must be Twilight Sparkle and friends. I was expecting you but not this soon, I would have tried to clean up this dungeon the best I could." He said bowing slightly, "My name is Ace Craftson."

The white pony with a horn immediately walked forward and looked him over. Seemingly taking in all his features. "My name is Rarity, I'm a master fashionista, and I might be able to help you not look so... Well like that. Also it's very nice to meet you  
/Mr. Craftson, it's an honor to meet a human." She said while returning the bow after circling him a few times.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle, and I'm the one who will be teaching you our culture, history, and lessons on friendship." The purple pony with a horn said. She seemed somewhat nervous and definitely unhappy. But that was neither here nor there, how happy could  
/an academic be taking on someone from... Well from another planet. It's weird to think of himself as an alien but he soon got over it.

"And my name is Pinkie! I'll be your best friend from now on!" She said while stuffing a cupcake in his mouth. It was unbelievably sweet, almost too sweet but oh so good after nothing to eat for days. "Oh my god thank you... You don't know how long I've  
/been hungry for, like 4 or 5 days. It's hard to tell."

They all looked shocked and then outraged. "We'll fix that, my brother is the captain of the Royal Guard. I'll make sure to give him an earfull." Twilight said with her teeth grit. "Anyway I hope we could become friends when you eventually move in. I  
/have an extra room but it might be a bit... Small, for you." Twilight said while bowing again. "We just came by for introductions. It won't be long until you're released."

"I... I'm... fluttershy." The semi cowering yellow Pegasus said. She was frightened but also a little excited to see him. He wondered why briefly but soon wrote it off. "Hello fluttershy. It's nice to meet you." He bowed slightly and she returned the  
gesture.

"Tell me miss sparkle. Is it normal to keep visitors in solitary confinement while waiting for a chance to plead a case?" The tall man said to the smaller ponies.

"It's really only for diplomatic reasons. We don't want to look weak on foreign policies." Rarity added taking in a deep breath to spout some bullshit that princess celestial probably fed them. He could read the amount of power she really held above these  
ponies."Thegriffons are ferocious warriors and if they hear we just let a stranger from another dimension just walk in and start living here, they'lltry and push the boarders to invaid us again."  
/

Raising an eyebrow slightly and nodding in 'understanding' ace sighs and speaks. "It's ok I will survive here... hopefully." The ponies give him a slightly sorrowful look as they leave the room one by one. Before fluttershy leaves being the last one out  
she looks back before closing the door and gives him a look that he couldn't quite read. Hesitance? Disgust? Fear? It was something he could put his thumb on.


End file.
